Random Loving... NOT Loving

LOVING: What Little Girls are Made Of

After the last few horrible weeks of watching my five-year-old acting like a miniature teenager with Attitude up to her eyeballs, it has been a relief to see that our new measures for eliminating "Miss Thang" from our house seem to be working.
The Measures: No lipgloss or play makeup, no High School Musical or other Disney Channel shows (again, we'd reneged), instant time-outs for Attitude, cheekiness or rudeness and definitely NO Pop-Star birthday party when she turns six.

She seems to have gotten the message: Teenage Attitude is OUT. Five year old sweetness is IN.

And here she is playing with her dollies, bathing and feeding them, playing mummies with her best friend instead of them acting like wannabe Divas. *sigh*

Long may it last. I am LOVING having my five year old back.
**BTW the surgical masks are "in case they have germs when they cough"

LOVING: This Guy...

Man he is so darn cute. Look at him. Even when he's up to mischief he's just the Bees Knees.

Covered in toothpaste, he's adorable. Smeared in yoghurt, he's divine.

Wearing his big brother's shoes: What a Card. Thankyou Jesus for my sweet sweet boy. Where would we be without him? He keeps us laughing. I LOVE that.

LOVING: DIY Projects...

Check out Mr G's masterpiece: Stage One of his Playhouse Project is now complete. We have a well-constructed deck in a previously wasted corner of the garden, which we have plonked the plastic cubby house on top of, temporarily. Mr G has grand plans for Stage Two. Future plans may include... a slide? a tower? a telescope? A ladder? A fort? It's a work in progress but Big Ups to The Man for doing such a great job. I am seriously impressed by his efforts and skill...

...So much so that I felt inspired to makeover our old garden bench, left rotting in another forgotten corner of the garden. 

Miss Fab (a.k.a Princess) helped me paint it white and I love the result. Don't you?


NOT LOVING: This Monstrosity of a Blue Tarp...

Isn't it hideous? I blame the birds. They are trying to steal our grape harvest - the subtle green netting was insufficient to keep them out, the sneaky buggers. They have also crapped all over our table and chairs... and the concrete is a mess of bird poo. So I am also not really loving Birds at the moment. Cheeky blighters. Hurry up grapes; ripen quickly so I can get rid of this ugly ugly tarpaulin and reclaim my outdoor area!

LOVING: My First Crop...

These lovelies taste divine. So sweet and full of sunshine. But they were lucky to survive, since I am in no way any kind of gardener (though I am trying). My poor herb garden had shrivelled and almost died after we returned from camping. My coriander had gone to seed. I thought it was All Over. Amazing what a good soaking with the garden hose will do for plants you think are well past it. Where there's life there's hope, as they say. So my garden is blooming again and now these lovely cherry tomatoes are the result. Next year I may have to branch out and try lettuce? carrots? beans?

LOVING: Time Out...

Extreme Measures are in place here in the G House. Two days ago I "read the Riot Act" to our kids: This is how it's going to be from now on, you lot! This bad behaviour will no longer be tolerated and these will be the consequences...

After the "fat letter writing" episode and the Camping Week of Shameful Behaviour, Mr G and I had finally had enough. We realised we had let things slide: Discipline was inconsistent and too often we disagreed on methods (which only added to the confusion). We kept trying all kinds of complicated ways to get the kids to comply... and the result has been... well. You know. Awful.

So we have taken back control (seeing that we are the adults here) and have gone back to basics: simple time-outs, effective immediately.
Any instance of fighting, arguing, meanness, rudeness, disrespect etc will result in the culprits being instantly banished to their rooms. Any squabbles and both parties get sent away, no matter who started it. This seems to have diminished the squabbling already, which makes for a much more peaceful home.

Things are looking up round here.